I am forwarding a reply from John Kanefski (with his permission). Richard
Beech appears to have been a user of Coalbrookdale cylinders. He states
that he is working on an update of the Kanefski and Robey database. He
hopes to publish an update on that important article and put the whole
database on a website.
My offer of a fuller text of my Mining History article stands, but the list
rules do not allow attachments, so that people need to contact me off-list.
Peter King
49, Stourbridge Road,
Hagley
Stourbridge
West Midlands
DY9 0QS
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]
From: JOHN KANEFSKY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 November 2011 20:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc: Burt, Roger
Subject: Re: Richard Beech
Dear Peter,
Roger Burt has forwarded your email to me as I am currently updating the
database of eighteenth century steam engines from Kanefsky and Robey (1980).
The database has references to 5 Newcomen engines erected by Richard Beech,
all with Coalbrookdale cylinders: a 17" cylinder one at Woods Mine
colliery, Hawaden (1724); 24" Yatestoop Lead mine, Derbyshire(1724); an
engine with a 23" cylinder at an unknown Staffordshire colliery
(?Wolverhampton) (1726); another in the Wolverhampton area with a 21"
cylinder (1727); and a second at Woods, 33" in 1733.
Any further details you have on these, or especially on other engines not
on the database or not recorded as erected by him, would be very gratefully
received, as would a copy of the article you mention.
Thanks.
Regards,
Dr John Kanefsky
Grasshopper Lodge
Fore Street
Morchard Bishop
Devon EX17 6NX
01363 877288
From: "Burt, Roger" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, 25 November 2011, 19:09
Subject: FW: Richard Beech
Hi John,
This article might be of some value for your steam engine count - I think
that I have the Journal.
Roger
Dr. Roger Burt
Professor Emeritus
History Department
College of Humanities
Amory Building
University of Exeter
Devon, EX4 4RJ
UK
Tel. 01392 851410 (Home)
Mob. 07777696777
http://people.exeter.ac.uk/RBurt
________________________________________
From: mining-history [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter King
[[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 November 2011 14:15
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Richard Beech
I have no reason to believe that Richard Beech had any significant connexion
with Coalbrookdale. A few years ago, I went through various documents on
the erection of early Newcomen engines in the Midlands. This work
ultimately became a paper in Mining History 16(6), but I cut out the section
dealing with the spread of the engine, as irrelevant to the main subject,
which was coal mining in the Black Country. I can (if you wish) send you a
fuller version, which contains what I discovered about him. I have not
re-checked that work in writing this, but my recollection is that he came
from somewhere just north of Stone, Staffs, where he may have been a farmer
or very minor gentry. His activity seems to have been setting up engines
and operating mines using them. Or am I thinking of some one different?
If you would like what I wrote, please contact me off-list. That also
applies to any one else interested.
As Mining History hardly circulates in the Black Country, I am planning to
publish a revised version of the Mining History article there. This will be
without references, other than to Mining History. The only substantial
revision will be the result of Dudley Archives having found another bundle
of relevant leases, etc.
Peter King
49, Stourbridge Road,
Hagley
Stourbridge
West Midlands
DY9 0QS
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of M J
Shaw
Sent: 25 November 2011 09:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Richard Beech
I have found, though not yet looked at, some sources of information about
Richard Beech who I understand made Newcomen engine parts at or in
connection with Coalbrookdale. None of these sources look to contain more
than passing information. I wonder if he has been the subject of a thesis
(or equivalent) anywhere, but have failed to find anything, can anyone on
the list help please.
Mike Shaw
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